


Baby Steps

by Stella523



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Hurt/comfort kind of, Insomniacs, M/M, Sleep fic, Vincent is very cold, it is good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2015-11-05
Packaged: 2018-04-22 23:50:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4855352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stella523/pseuds/Stella523
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A thought occurred to Cloud; that Vincent probably could use a normal night’s sleep just like all the rest of them. But his demons were just as bad as Cloud’s. Hell, his demons had real physical manifestations, something even Cloud couldn’t top. Maybe, Vincent didn’t want to sleep. Maybe he was afraid that what his subconscious would create would be worse than what his body could. Maybe, his dreams when he was asleep had been far worse than his life now, and all he wanted was to avoid ever going back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ((( I'm supposed to be writing a Strifehart fic right now but I suuuuuuck don't hate me )))

Cloud lay awake in his room at the inn. Everyone else was long asleep, except for him. Typical. He probably couldn’t have slept even if he wanted to. His head was a mess, his thoughts racing a hundred miles an hour. Even if he somehow managed to fall asleep, it wouldn’t last, and it wouldn’t be pretty. So Cloud was resigned to lie awake, staring at the ceiling, wishing the owner would keep the place a little less warm in summer.

Suddenly, Cloud heard the faint sound of rustling outside his door, like someone walking by. He slowly climbed out of bed and left his room to follow the sound, where he found a Vincent sitting at the kitchen counter. Vincent looked up at Cloud just long enough to acknowledge his presence, and then went back to looking at his hands.

“Can’t sleep?” Cloud asked nonchalantly as he walked up to lean on the counter across from Vincent. He looked like he hadn’t even laid down that night, let alone tried to get any rest.

Vincent scoffed lightly. “I slept for 30 straight years. I can spare a few nights awake,” he said, looking up at Cloud. Despite what he said, Cloud couldn’t help but notice the slight exhaustion in Vincent’s demeanor, and the utterly drained and distressed look in his deep red eyes. A thought occurred to Cloud; that Vincent probably could use a normal night’s sleep just like all the rest of them. But his demons were just as bad as Cloud’s. Hell, his demons had real physical manifestations, something even _Cloud_ couldn’t top. Maybe, Vincent didn’t want to sleep. Maybe he was afraid that what his subconscious would create would be worse than what his body could. Maybe, his dreams when he was asleep had been far worse than his life now, and all he wanted was to avoid ever going back.

Vincent looked down again and sighed, his breath almost imperceptibly shaky. The former Turk was by no means in his normal state of rigidity and vigilance, always ready for the unexpected. Now, he just looked vulnerable.

Cloud wouldn’t stand for this. Vincent was part of the team, and the team looked out for one another.

“Well, _I_ can’t sleep. It’s so damn hot in here.”

Vincent looked up again. “Is it? I don’t even notice. I’m always cold.”

Cloud knew this already, but he pretended anyways. “Really?” he asked as he leaned across the counter to grab Vincent’s uncovered hand. “Wow, you’re not kidding,” he said as he walked around to Vincent’s seat.

“Product of being half-dead,” Vincent mumbled, and in that moment Cloud walked up next to him and wrapped his hand around his forearm.

“You’re like a life-sized ice pack, it’s awesome,” Cloud smiled widely as he looked at Vincent. After a moment, he half-smiled as well.

“Come on, I have an idea,” Cloud said quietly after a pause, gently pulling on Vincent’s arm.

“What are you doing?” he asked as he was lead down the hall. He was pulled him into Cloud’s room and the door was shut behind him.

“It’s so hot in this inn I can’t stand it, but you can fix that. Come on, you’re not gonna sleep anyways, might as well help me out, right?” Cloud said as he pulled Vincent towards his bed, stopping at the edge and looking up at him hopefully.

Vincent hesitated, then said “what do you want me to do?”

Cloud just smiled and laid down on the bed. He pat the spot next him. “Lay here. Be cold. In other words just be you.”

“…Alright,” Vincent said, and took off the excess clothes and weapons he had on him so that he was wearing feasible clothes to sleep in. He then pulled back the covers and crawled in next to Cloud. He was back to his rigid demeanor, but Cloud knew that wouldn’t last. He rolled over and buried his head in Vincent’s chest.

“Thanks,” he murmured lightly. He could feel the tensions in Vincent’s body slowly drain out, and eventually he felt a hand on the small of his back. The cold was exactly what Cloud needed, and he already felt much calmer and sleepier. He hoped Vincent was at least a little less afraid to fall asleep with the knowledge that _someone_ was there. Maybe this could have solved both of their problems.

Cloud shifted his body to tangle their legs together and make as much skin contact with Vincent as possible, not even caring about boundaries anymore. He reached out and laid a hand on Vincent’s hip, and was surprised to find Vincent wrap an arm around him tightly. The warmth in his chest contrasted pleasantly with his newfound source of coldness. He felt his eyelids grow heavier as sleep overtook him.

“You’re welcome,” he heard Vincent say quietly, and then he was asleep.

***

Cloud awoke the next morning to cool fingertips lightly carding through his hair. It was a nice feeling, he didn’t want to open his eyes and ruin it. Eventually, though, he had to, and he was greeted with the sight of red eyes staring at him.

“…Morning,” Cloud mumbled sleepily, and realized how wrapped around Vincent he was.

Vincent stopped moving his hand and settled it around Cloud’s shoulder. “Did you sleep well?” he asked.

Cloud thought about it, and he realized- no nightmares.

“Yeah, I really did,” he said. “Thank you.” He tried to convey as much meaning in those words as possible. Cloud shifted away slightly, just enough that he could rest his hand on Vincent's abdomen. 

Vincent leaned his head back and closed his eyes contentedly. “Glad I could help,” he said. One look at him and it was clear he still hadn’t slept that night, but he definitely looked different. Peaceful, calmer, _happier._ And that was what really counted. They would get there, eventually.

Baby steps.


	2. Take Me In Your Arms and Leave the Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vincent lies awake a few nights later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUYS ASKED FOR IT SO I WROTE ANOTHER CHAPTER EVEN THOUGH I NEVER REALLY INTENDED TO SO HERE YOU GO
> 
> Also title goes to Stone Sour - Say You'll Haunt Me

Vincent couldn’t close his eyes.

Scratch that; Vincent _refused_ to close his eyes. He had been running with the team for less than a week, and in that time he had only stopped to rest twice. The first was involuntary, and came after his first bout with shape shifting. All Vincent could remember was blacking out and waking up with Cloud by his side, offering him water. When he later learned what had actually happened, he was barely even fazed. So much had occurred in his life that this hardly constituted a surprise.

The second time was five nights ago, and it had shaken Vincent to his very core. After spending years in a deep sleep, he had already been wary about the idea of resting any more. Eventually, though, he got tired of lying awake and reliving all of the mistakes he’d made in life, all the things he could have done differently that might have avoided the hell they all faced now. So when he made the decision to let himself sleep, he thought he might be able to escape all the suffering his own mind was causing him.

He had been sorely mistaken.

His subconscious was a frightening, self-loathing, vengeful place. He had silently vowed never to return after he woke up in a cold sweat with a sinking feeling in his stomach so strong he thought he might never leave the bed again. Which left him awake and alone, night after night, biding his time until the sun came up again.

He blinked the slight exhaustion out of his eyes. Suddenly there was a shift in the bed next to him, and he remembered he wasn’t alone.

Cloud was there.

He hadn’t _really_ forgotten Cloud was there. That was a little hard to do when there was all this extra warmth curled up into his side. When Cloud had come to him two nights ago and adopted him as his new cooling agent, the arrangement had just stuck. Cloud seemed fine with it; he had slept well both nights and seemed significantly less broody for it. Vincent didn’t really mind either. Decades spent alone in a small space will give you a certain appreciation for physical contact, as strongly as Vincent would try to deny it. He and Cloud seemed to be on the same page with things like that. Neither of them would ever admit it, but they both liked closeness and contact. The length to which their bodies were currently entwined was a testament to that.

Vincent wasn’t sure, however he thought the last time he felt this comfortable was with Lucrecia. But he tried to avoid thoughts like that. They just led to more pain.

Cloud stirred. Vincent loosened his arms around him, but Cloud’s eyes were already slowly opening.

“Are you awake?” He barely whispered.

“Yes.”

Cloud scoffed. “I don’t know why I asked.” He rolled so he was facing away from Vincent, and pulled the covers over towards him. Vincent immediately missed the contact, but he wasn’t going to initiate anything. He still wasn’t quite sure where he stood in all this, or what exactly was happening with the two of them.

“You don’t have to be afraid to touch me, you know,” Cloud said casually. Vincent hesitated for a moment, then rolled over as well and reached his arm across Cloud’s body. He pulled him close and slowly leaned his head against the back of Cloud’s neck. Cloud moved his hand to tangle their fingers together.

Vincent lay there for a while, and eventually he closed his eyes. _Might as well_ , he thought. _Not like I’ll really sleep anyways._ Cloud squeezed his hand lightly, and Vincent’s mind settled. There was no conflict, no self-hatred, no blaming, everything was just calm. It was a nice change from how things had been nights before. Cloud must have had that effect on him. The last conscious thought he had that night was that Cloud’s hand was very soft, and his lips were probably even softer. He maybe wanted to find out sometime.

~

Cloud woke up and immediately noticed something was different.

Vincent was asleep.

He smiled to himself. This whole situation had worked out perfectly; both of them had finally gotten the sleep they needed to function without tearing themselves apart mentally. Cloud lay there motionless until the even breathing behind him started to change, and it was clear that Vincent was waking up.

“So, how’d you sleep?” Cloud asked, his voice taking a knowing and proud tone.

“…Alright.”

“Aw, that’s it?”

“…Better than alright. Peacefully,” Vincent replied, and pressed his lips to the bend of Cloud’s neck.

Cloud briefly closed his eyes, content, and lazily rolled to face Vincent. He placed his hands on the other’s hips and looked into his eyes. Their faces were very close.

Vincent glanced down at Cloud’s lips, then made eye contact again.

“Thank you,” He whispered, and lightly bumped their noses together. Vincent reached a hand up and pushed Cloud’s hair back. Cloud closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Vincent’s.

“You’re welcome.”

Vincent shifted forward and lightly connected their lips. Cloud smiled slightly against Vincent's lips and then kissed him back slowly. He pulled back eventually and opened his eyes.

“I like this,” he said. “We should do this more often.”

Vincent cracked a smile. “I wouldn’t be opposed,” he said.

“Well, you make it sound so appealing,” Cloud said sarcastically, laughing lightly.

Vincent rolled his eyes and leaned in to kiss him again. He slowly dragged his hand down Cloud’s cheek, his neck, and laid it against his chest, where he could feel his heartbeat. It was steady and comforting, just like Cloud. Vincent smiled at the thought.

“What?” Cloud asked as he pulled back.

“Nothing,” Vincent responded, and pressed their lips together again.

If this was how his new life was going to be, Vincent thought, then maybe he didn’t have too much to regret or fear. Maybe he had something to fight for instead.


End file.
